Don't start HTTP: httpd_flags=NO Start HTTP with no flags: httpd_flags="" For other daemons that you might install with the system via ports or other ways, you will use the /etc/rc.local file. For example, I've installed a daemon which lies at /usr/local/sbin/daemonx. I want this to start at boot time. I would put an entry into /etc/rc.local like this: if [ -x /usr/local/sbin/daemonx ]; then echo -n ' daemonx'; /usr/local/sbin/daemonx fi